Community Involvement

November 11 is Veterans Day, and the attorneys at Smith, McDowell & Powell would like to show their appreciation all month long for active and retired military personnel by offering a new Veteran Startup Program. Veterans who enroll in this pro bono initiative during the month of November will receive a free attorney consultation, complimentary drafting and filing of various entity formation documents and general legal guidance to those starting a new business. By enrolling in this program, veterans will have the opportunity to discuss their business plan with the attorneys at Smith, McDowell & Powell and will work together to find a legal entity that fits their particular need. The only costs to program participants are the filing fees, taxes and related non attorney fee costs of forming a business in California.

This initiative is designed to help the men and women of our military achieve their business goals. Moreover, by helping our armed service members recognize entrepreneurial dreams, the entire business community benefits by cultivating small business growth. The attorneys at Smith, McDowell & Powell are looking forward to this opportunity to give back and show their gratitude and appreciation for all of the sacrifices made by our country’s military personnel. If you are interested in participating in and/or learning more about this program, please feel free to call our office at (916) 569-8100 or visit our website.

SMP Shareholder, Jaclyn Powell, channeled her inner Lester Holt and Martha Raddatz, and moderated this year’s West Sacramento Candidate’s Forum at The Barn. Powell has moderated the debates in West Sacramento for the last three election years on behalf of the West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and this year’s forum did not disappoint. The Chamber had all five candidates running for City Council participate, and four of the five candidates running for Washington Unified School Board participate. Unfortunately, there was no time for rebuttal given the high number of participants (and Jaclyn believes that there would have been some discerning rebuttal had it been allowed), but the re-imagined forum served its purpose and allowed for great insight into each candidate’s platform.

The Forum will be repeated on Channel 20 until Election Day. You can also view the videos here.

On Saturday, April 23rd, Sacramento W.E.A.V.E. (Women Escaping a Violent Environment) will host their annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, where over a thousand men will take a stand against violence against women by donning their favorite high-heeled shoes and walking the capitol mall. This endeavor raises funds and awareness for W.E.A.V.E, a 24-hour crisis intervention program which provides resources and aid for victims of domestic violence. Last year, our team was able to help raise over $20,000.00 for this worthy cause, and if you are interested in joining or learning about this program, click here.